按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to。。。〃
Egwene listened intently。 It fascinated her； hinting at things she had never suspected were possible； but beyond that she had no intention of ending up scrubbing pots。 It did not seem fair； somehow。 Whatever Rand and Mat and the others faced in Rhuidean； they were not going to be sent off to scrub pots。 And I agreed to it！ It just was not fair。 But then； she doubted they could get any more out of Rhuidean than she would from these women。
Chapter 24
（Dice）
Rhuidean
The smooth pebble in Mat's mouth was not making moisture anymore； and had not been for some time。 Spitting it out； he squatted beside Rand and stared at the billowing gray wall maybe thirty paces in front of them。 Fog。 He hoped at least it was cooler in there than out here。 And some water would be appreciated。 His lips were cracking。 He pulled the scarf from around his head and wiped his face； but there was not much sweat to dampen the cloth。 Not much sweat remained in him to e out。 A place to sit down。 His feet felt like cooked sausages inside his boots； he felt pretty well cooked all over； for that matter。 The fog stretched left and right better than a mile and bulked over his head like a towering cliff。 A cliff of thick mist in the middle of a barren blistered valley。 There had to be water in there。
Why doesn't it burn off？ He did not like that part of it。 Fooling with the Power had brought him here； and now it seemed he had to fool with it again。 Light； I want free of the Power and Aes Sedai。 Burn me； I do！ Anything not to think of stepping into that fog； for just a minute more。 〃That was Egwene's Aiel friend I saw running；〃 he croaked。 Running！ In this heat。 Just thinking of it made his feet hurt worse。 〃Aviendha。 Whatever her name is。〃
〃If you say so；〃 Rand said； studying the fog。 He sounded as if he had a mouthful of dust； his face was sunburned； and he wavered unsteadily in his crouch。 〃But what would she be doing down here？ And naked？〃
Mat let it go。 Rand had not seen her … he had hardly taken his eyes off the roiling mist since starting down the mountain … and he did not believe Mat had seen her either。 Running like a madwoman and keeping wide of the two of them。 Heading for this strange fog； it had seemed to him。 Rand appeared no more eager to step into that than he was。 He wondered whether he looked as bad as Rand did。 Touching his cheek； he winced。 He expected he did。
〃Are we going to stay out here all night？ This valley is pretty deep。 It'll be dark down here in another couple of hours。 Might be cooler then； but I don't think I would like to meet whatever runs around this place in the night。 Lions； probably。 I've heard there are lions in the Waste。〃
〃Are you sure you want to do this； Mat？ You heard what the Wise Ones said。 You can die in there； or go mad。 You can make it back to the tents。 You left water bottles and a waterbag on Pips's saddle。〃
He wished Rand had not reminded him。 Best not to think about water。 〃Burn me； no； I don't want to。 I have to。 What about you？ Isn't being the bloody Dragon Reborn enough for you？ Do you have to be a flaming Aiel clan chief； too？ Why are you here？〃
〃I have to be； Mat。 I have to be。〃 Resignation came through the parch in his voice； but something else； too。 A hint of eagerness。 The man really was mad； he wanted to do this。
〃Rand； maybe that's the answer they give everybody。 Those snake people； I mean。 Go to Rhuidean。 Maybe we don't have to be here at all。〃 He did not believe it； but with that fog staring him in the face。。。
Rand turned his head to look at him； not speaking。 Finally he said； 〃They never mentioned Rhuidean to me； Mat。〃
〃Oh； burn me；〃 he muttered。 Somehow or other he meant to find a way back through that twisted doorway in Tear。 Absently he pulled the gold Tar Valon mark from his coat pocket； rolled it across the backs of his fingers and thrust it back。 Those snaky folk were going to give him a few more answers whether they wanted to or not。 Somehow。
Without another word； Rand rose and started toward the fog in an unsteady stride； his eyes fixed straight ahead。 Mat hurried after him。 Burn me。 Burn me。 I do not want to do this。
Rand plunged right into the dense mist； but Mat hesitated a moment before following。 It had to be the Power maintaining the fog； after all； with its edge boiling so but never advancing or retreating an inch。 The bloody Power； and no bloody choice。 That first step was a blessed relief； cool and damp； he opened his mouth to let the mist moisten his tongue。 Three steps more and he began to worry。 Beyond the tip of his nose was only featureless gray。 He could not make out even a shadow that could be Rand。
〃Rand？〃 The sound might as well not have e from his mouth； the murk seemed to swallow it before it reached his own ears。 He was not even sure of his direction anymore； and he could always remember his way。 Anything might be ahead of him。 Or under his feet。 He could not see his feet； the fog shrouded him pletely below the waist。 He picked up his pace regardless。 And suddenly stepped out beside Rand into a peculiar shadowless light。
The fog made an enormous hollow dome hiding the sky； its bubbling inner surface glowing in a pale sharp blue。 Rhuidean was not nearly so big as Tear or Caemlyn； but the empty streets were broad as any he had ever seen； with wide strips of bare dirt down their centers as if trees had grown there once； and great fountains with statues。 Huge buildings flanked the streets； odd flat…sided palaces of marble and crystal and cut glass； ascending hundreds of feet in steps or sheer walls。 There was not a small building to be seen； nothing that might have been a。 simple tavern or an inn or a stable。 Only immense palaces； with gleaming columns fifty feet thick climbing a hundred paces in red or white or blue； and grand towers； fluted and spiraled； some piercing the glowing clouds above。
For all its grandeur； the city had never been finished。 Many of those tremendous structures ended in the sawteeth of abandoned construction。 Colored glass made images in some huge windows： serenely majestic men and women thirty feet tall or more； sunrises and starry night skies； others gaped emptily。 Unfinished and long deserted。 No water splashed in any fountain。 Silence covered the city as pletely as the dome of fog。 The air was cooler than outside； but just as arid。 Dust grated under foot on pale smooth paving stones。
Mat trotted to the nearest fountain anyway； just on the off chance； and leaned on the waist high white rim。 Three unclothed women； twice as tall as he and supporting an odd wide…mouthed fish over their heads； peered down into a wide dusty basin no dryer than his mouth。
〃Of course；〃 Rand said behind him。 〃I should have thought of this before。〃
Mat looked over his shoulder。 〃Thought of what？〃 Rand was staring at the fountain； shaking with silent laughter。 〃Get hold of yourself； Rand。 You didn't go crazy in the last minute。 You should have thought of what？〃
A hollow gurgling whipped Mat's eyes back to the fountain。 Abruptly water gushed out of the fish's mouth； a stream as thick as his leg。 He s